8. Skylar #2
“She’s sixty-four,” Susie replied. “And Ludie’s like eighty or something.”
“She’s that old?” I prompted.
Nora nodded. “Oh, for sure.”
Anxiety tightened in my chest. Worry was a constant when you never had any stability in your childhood. Any threat of change warranted hours and hours upon hours and hours of concern. Emily had been less of a worrier than me but not by much, really.
Susie leaned an elbow on the table, casting a smile at me. “I’m your girl. We’re going to find out the scoop and come up with a plan.”
I nodded, and a timer sounded. Cammi jumped up. “Be right back. That’s dinner.”
Daphne got up to help, and a few minutes later, they returned with several casserole pans filled with tamales.
Only moments later, I took my first bite. “Oh, my god,” I moaned. “These are so good.”
“I love making them. I made a batch for lunch today, and I made extra because I knew we were meeting tonight. I had to hide them from Flynn.”
“He doesn’t even know?” Nora whisper-shouted across the table.
Daphne grinned as she shook her head. “If any of the guys knew, they’d all be gone. Cat had to go into town for some appointments and errands, and that’s when I made them.”
“Wow, I feel spoiled,” I commented.
“Don’t. You have a standing dinner invitation with us every week.”
“And you can come here anytime we get together. I’m not as organized, though,” Cammi said quickly.
“You all don’t have to invite me to everything,” I heard myself saying.
Daphne eyed me quizzically. “We want to,” she finally said. “We like you, Skylar.”
My throat got tight. I didn’t know what to say, so I stuffed a bite of food in my mouth, relieved when the conversation moved along.
I enjoyed listening to the chatter about people I didn’t even know and watching the light-hearted teasing amongst everyone.
I eventually put together that Cammi, Nora, and Susie had grown up here.
Risa had grown up outside of Anchorage, but her brother lived here.
She moved down here and was married to the police chief.
I’d seen him, but I hadn’t connected those dots yet.
“So I better not get caught speeding,” I commented.
“Oh, just stay under nine miles an hour over the limit,” Risa replied matter-of-factly.
“What do you mean?” Susie chimed in.
“The police don’t usually pull anyone over unless they go more than nine miles an hour over the speed limit. Well, unless you’re a repeat offender,” Risa offered with a shrug.
“Wow, that’s good to know. I wonder if that’s the case everywhere,” I replied.
Susie giggled. “That’s what I’ll set my cruise control on.”
Daphne was new to the area, along with me. “How long have you been here?” I asked.
“About two years.”
“She was supposed to only stay for a month,” Nora offered with a grin. “But she fell for Flynn, and Flynn fell for her, and now they’re getting married. We are all grateful. He’s kind of a grump. That’s his baseline. Daphne brings his mood up significantly.”
“Getting regular sex helps, I’m sure,” Susie offered dryly.
“Oh, god. Don’t talk about my brother’s sex life,” Nora muttered.
Daphne laughed.
Just when I thought no one would ask any more questions about me, Nora looked at me, arching a brow. “So, Tucker?”
“Are you talking to me?” I hedged. She nodded slowly. Daphne pressed her lips together, and I could tell she was trying not to laugh. “What are you talking about?”
“You kissed him,” Nora said bluntly.
My cheeks got fire hot. “What? How do you know?” I sputtered.
“It was in the parking lot. Gabriel and I went out the back and saw you on the way over to my place.”
“Oh, my god.” I leaned my face into my hands and took a deep breath. “Wow. I don’t even know how that happened. I’m gossip. It was just a kiss,” I finally said when I found the nerve to lift my head again.
“Tucker is a really great guy,” Daphne offered.
“I don’t know what I was thinking. I have no expectations, and I’m pretty sure he has no expectations from me. I won’t be kissing him again,” I said quickly.
“We want him to have expectations,” Nora said, slapping her palm on the table.
“Do tell,” Susie said. “I know Tucker, but I have no gossip about him, like none. That guy seriously flies under the radar around here, which is hard to do in Diamond Creek.”
Since the kiss was already out there, I decided I didn’t need to hold back and was unabashed in my curiosity. “What do you know?”
“Like everybody at the lodge, except for me, Daphne, Cat, and Grant, all the guys were together in the Air Force. They are tight, and Tucker is awesome. He doesn’t date, though.
To be honest, I don’t even know if he gets any on the side.
I asked Gabriel, and all he did was shrug, but those guys do keep secrets amongst themselves,” Nora explained.
“I know they do,” Daphne said. “Flynn usually tells me everything though.”
“Yeah, because he’s whipped,” Cammi piped up.
Daphne rolled her eyes.
“What else do you know about him?” I asked.
“He has a younger sister. She’s a therapist. Both of his parents are alive, and he’s close with them. Flynn said something sad happened in high school, but I don’t have the details. I’m going to ask Tucker myself,” Daphne said, drumming her fingertips on the table.
“The guys tell Daphne everything,” Nora commented. “They look at me as Flynn’s little sister, so they don’t do that with me.”
“But Gabriel doesn’t,” Daphne teased.
Nora’s cheeks flushed pink. “I tell you everything too, so get the scoop.”
“I think you and Tucker would be good together,” Cammi said. “I’ve always liked him. He’s nice, but he’s pretty quiet.”
“Elias is quiet,” Susie chimed in.
“Yeah, but he’s also kind of broody. Tucker isn’t like that,” Cammi replied. “He’s just plain quiet.”
“You know, you all aren’t helping me on the information front,” I pointed out.
“Well, do you like him?” Susie asked.
My heart thumped in my chest, and my breath got short for a moment. “I don’t know. I mean, yes, I guess,” I finally said, feeling way too flustered. Having chats about crushes wasn’t something I did, except with Emily. Who was dead. I took a shaky breath.
“We need a new romance around here,” Susie said with a gleam in her eyes.